as in unsuccessful
producing no results
an abortive attempt to recover the sunken pirate ship
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Recent Examples of abortive
Google’s Tripartite Advantage Google has been more successful than Meta in fintech due to a strategic focus on utility, infrastructure, and user trust, whereas Mark Zuckerberg’s firm has struggled with trust issues and regulatory hurdles, particularly with the abortive Diem project.
—
Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 1 Feb. 2026
The social media profiles of some Moran personnel also show they were linked to Wagner, which was effectively liquidated after its then boss Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an abortive revolt in Russia in 2023.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
Even as Nintendo has endlessly mined its classic consoles for nostalgic re-releases in recent decades, the company has seemed to completely ignore the existence of the Virtual Boy—its abortive 1990s dip into the world of early virtual reality.
—ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Garbowit recalls that there were only around sixteen members of Congress lined up behind Thanedor’s abortive resolution—so the fact that Green’s follow-up motion garnered seventy-nine supporters in the caucus is a sign of progress.
—Chris Lehmann, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abortive
Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 1 Feb. 2026
The social media profiles of some Moran personnel also show they were linked to Wagner, which was effectively liquidated after its then boss Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an abortive revolt in Russia in 2023.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
Even as Nintendo has endlessly mined its classic consoles for nostalgic re-releases in recent decades, the company has seemed to completely ignore the existence of the Virtual Boy—its abortive 1990s dip into the world of early virtual reality.
—ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Garbowit recalls that there were only around sixteen members of Congress lined up behind Thanedor’s abortive resolution—so the fact that Green’s follow-up motion garnered seventy-nine supporters in the caucus is a sign of progress.
—Chris Lehmann, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abortive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abortive
Adjective
-
Attempts to interview him were unsuccessful.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
-
Trump has denied Carroll’s allegations against him and tried to appeal both verdicts but has been unsuccessful in both cases, putting him on the verge of having to pay out millions.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The series follows an upstanding family man who spirals into a life of crime after killing someone in a bicycle accident, driven by the noble but futile goal of never hurting anyone ever again.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
17 May 2026
-
But this story has a happier, less futile ending.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abortive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abortive. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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